I recently started a 15 week Health and Fitness Challenge at the local YW. There are around 30 of us divided into 6 teams. We met with the trainer the first week and got our eating plans, work out schedules, and all the other info and details.
We of course keep track of what we eat, how much water we drink, when we work out, how long, etc. We also meet with the trainer individually once a week and have a group meeting once a week. We go to classes at least 3 times and week and work out on our own at least 2 times a week.
We are mostly 'older' (40's - 50's with a few younger and older), none of us are what you'd call gym rats or athletes. Mostly just middle aged women who spend a lot of time on the couch, have thyroid and hormone issues, flab, etc.
So it should be fun! Maybe. Well probably. Possibly. Might be fun, who knows. : )

--I'm located in Western PA.
--I found NC in late 2004, CG since 2-2005, started going grey in late 2005.
--My hair is 3B with some 3A, texture-medium/fine, porosity-normal except for the ends which are porous, elasticity-normal.
--My long time favorite products are Suave & VO5 conditioners, LA Looks Sport Gel, oils, honey, vinegar.
--My CG and grey hair progress -- http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlta...-progress.html

--I'm located in Western PA.
--I found NC in late 2004, CG since 2-2005, started going grey in late 2005.
--My hair is 3B with some 3A, texture-medium/fine, porosity-normal except for the ends which are porous, elasticity-normal.
--My long time favorite products are Suave & VO5 conditioners, LA Looks Sport Gel, oils, honey, vinegar.
--My CG and grey hair progress -- http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlta...-progress.html

9-9-12
Bad thing - don't go to the Italian Civic Club membership party. Wonderful free food, appetizer table, buffet, dessert table, acres of hot fresh garlic bread, free beer and pop, super cheap booze. I did very very well tho, even while watching my diabetic dad eat about 8 different homemade desserts. pat pat pat my own back.
Good thing - go to the circuit training room when there are men there. It makes you work like a fiend so as not to look like the weakling that you are. I saw stars at one point. But I didn't pass out. Or cry. Because that would have been bad.
Survived the week.

--I'm located in Western PA.
--I found NC in late 2004, CG since 2-2005, started going grey in late 2005.
--My hair is 3B with some 3A, texture-medium/fine, porosity-normal except for the ends which are porous, elasticity-normal.
--My long time favorite products are Suave & VO5 conditioners, LA Looks Sport Gel, oils, honey, vinegar.
--My CG and grey hair progress -- http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlta...-progress.html

9-11-12
Patting myself on the back again because I'm going to the gym tonite instead of going to the Taste of My Town with it's tons of food (which I've only missed once before in the 16 years it's been going on). Go me!
Last night's class was really good. But at one point I had a giggle fit.
We were using those big heavy colorful exercise balls and one of the movements was over your head left to right, back and forth. The trainer is going 'nowwww left, nowww right' and I'm in the back and can see that NONE of the balls are going in the same direction at the same time. We looked like a bunch of deranged Weeble People who didn't know their left from their right. It was really funny to see.

--I'm located in Western PA.
--I found NC in late 2004, CG since 2-2005, started going grey in late 2005.
--My hair is 3B with some 3A, texture-medium/fine, porosity-normal except for the ends which are porous, elasticity-normal.
--My long time favorite products are Suave & VO5 conditioners, LA Looks Sport Gel, oils, honey, vinegar.
--My CG and grey hair progress -- http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlta...-progress.html

Fitness Challenge update.
Days done - 10
Pounds down - 5.2
Times to the gym - 9
Number of times I got hurt - 1 pulled butt muscle
Number of times I hurt someone else - 0
Feeling sort of successful - priceless

--I'm located in Western PA.
--I found NC in late 2004, CG since 2-2005, started going grey in late 2005.
--My hair is 3B with some 3A, texture-medium/fine, porosity-normal except for the ends which are porous, elasticity-normal.
--My long time favorite products are Suave & VO5 conditioners, LA Looks Sport Gel, oils, honey, vinegar.
--My CG and grey hair progress -- http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlta...-progress.html

Byron,GA> Charleston, SC> Jacksonville, FL> Guilford, CT> Rohnert Park, CA! A southern drawl in sunny Cali! . The amount of time from slipping on the peel and landing on the pavement is exactly one bananosecond.I do have a secret yen for pink in unexpected places. ~ninja dogI've decided that I'll never get down to my original weight, and I'm OK with that--After all, 8 pounds 2 oz. is just not realistic.

Fun class this morning with great music. At the end we do a few minutes of relaxation/meditation. The trainer talks in the real soothing voice, the music slows down, we close our eyes, relaaaaaxxxx.
And my brain does this -
"Oh this is niiiicccce. So relaxing. Oh wait, I think I'm falling asleep. What if I fall asleep!? Wow, good song. Turn off that goddamn phone! Ok, relaaaxxxx.
What time is it?? I bet it's after 11 and the boss will wonder where I am. Shhh, eyes closed, almost done. Breath. OMG I FORGOT TO GO TO THE BANK!!"

--I'm located in Western PA.
--I found NC in late 2004, CG since 2-2005, started going grey in late 2005.
--My hair is 3B with some 3A, texture-medium/fine, porosity-normal except for the ends which are porous, elasticity-normal.
--My long time favorite products are Suave & VO5 conditioners, LA Looks Sport Gel, oils, honey, vinegar.
--My CG and grey hair progress -- http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlta...-progress.html

How in the hell do people meditate? I can never, ever get my brain to turn off and end up all over the place just like you described. It sounds good in theory, but I just can't put it into practice and be all zen ohhhmmmmmm.

Byron,GA> Charleston, SC> Jacksonville, FL> Guilford, CT> Rohnert Park, CA! A southern drawl in sunny Cali! . The amount of time from slipping on the peel and landing on the pavement is exactly one bananosecond.I do have a secret yen for pink in unexpected places. ~ninja dogI've decided that I'll never get down to my original weight, and I'm OK with that--After all, 8 pounds 2 oz. is just not realistic.

Fitness Challenge update. Week 3.
Last night's class kicked my not so firm behind. It pretty much kicked my whole body. I can barely hold up a pen today. But I came out of it alive.
Only 12 more weeks to go. But who's counting? : )

--I'm located in Western PA.
--I found NC in late 2004, CG since 2-2005, started going grey in late 2005.
--My hair is 3B with some 3A, texture-medium/fine, porosity-normal except for the ends which are porous, elasticity-normal.
--My long time favorite products are Suave & VO5 conditioners, LA Looks Sport Gel, oils, honey, vinegar.
--My CG and grey hair progress -- http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlta...-progress.html

Fitness Challenge update. Week 4 Stressful couple weeks which can get in the way sometimes. But trying to work my way through it all.Very frustrated at class on Monday. For the first time I couldn't do some things due to pain and fear of injuring the cracked disc from a bad fall last winter. But a couple friends talked be down from the ledge. : ) Tonight I kicked that workout's A$$!! Take THAT m********ker! : ) Onward!

--I'm located in Western PA.
--I found NC in late 2004, CG since 2-2005, started going grey in late 2005.
--My hair is 3B with some 3A, texture-medium/fine, porosity-normal except for the ends which are porous, elasticity-normal.
--My long time favorite products are Suave & VO5 conditioners, LA Looks Sport Gel, oils, honey, vinegar.
--My CG and grey hair progress -- http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlta...-progress.html

After you complete your classes, you will probably want to continue working out. Once you start you realize how much better you feel. Though knowing where you live (because I live close by), the hardest time for me to get to the gym is in the middle of winter when the snow is 2 feet deep, but I force myself and you can too! Keep up the good work!

Thanks munchkin!
I've worked out for years but this is a more intense schedule and I have to answer to a trainer and not let my team down.
The Y and my other gym are 1 to 3 blocks from my house and my office so I have no excuse not to go (just utter laziness when I don't).
I've never been athletic or a big gym rat and I still take it easy on my joints, back, rotator cuffs, etc so not alot of high impact stuff like running (actually NO running. haha). I've been addicted to walking for a few decades and still love it. I trained for a marathon (walking and jogging) in the middle of winter and yes I would come home crying after walking for 10 miles on a Saturday afternoon in a blizzard. But I did finish a full marathon in 7 hours and it's still a favorite memory.
I go through lazy spells and then get back at it. And yes, even the littlest amount of moving DOES make you feel better!

--I'm located in Western PA.
--I found NC in late 2004, CG since 2-2005, started going grey in late 2005.
--My hair is 3B with some 3A, texture-medium/fine, porosity-normal except for the ends which are porous, elasticity-normal.
--My long time favorite products are Suave & VO5 conditioners, LA Looks Sport Gel, oils, honey, vinegar.
--My CG and grey hair progress -- http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlta...-progress.html

--I'm located in Western PA.
--I found NC in late 2004, CG since 2-2005, started going grey in late 2005.
--My hair is 3B with some 3A, texture-medium/fine, porosity-normal except for the ends which are porous, elasticity-normal.
--My long time favorite products are Suave & VO5 conditioners, LA Looks Sport Gel, oils, honey, vinegar.
--My CG and grey hair progress -- http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlta...-progress.html

Fitness Challenge Update
Getting near the end of week 5.
Down 6 lbs and 4.5 inches.
A new challenge started Oct 1st involving lots of working out. Doing great so far, tho this cold is slowing me down a little. A word of caution tho. Ya know when you see a pair of shoes you just have to have? And you buy them and immediately wear them for hours and hours and end up with blisters? Well the same goes for a shiny new stationary racing bike. You don't want to just jump on and ride for an hour. You will get blisters in awkward and unusual places. Yep.
: )

--I'm located in Western PA.
--I found NC in late 2004, CG since 2-2005, started going grey in late 2005.
--My hair is 3B with some 3A, texture-medium/fine, porosity-normal except for the ends which are porous, elasticity-normal.
--My long time favorite products are Suave & VO5 conditioners, LA Looks Sport Gel, oils, honey, vinegar.
--My CG and grey hair progress -- http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlta...-progress.html

Almost done with Week 6.
Down 9.2 lbs
Worked out every day last week, even with a cold, for a total of 520 minutes.
Feeling great, except I think I might have broken or bruised the bone in a toe somehow. Ms. Graceful at work again.

--I'm located in Western PA.
--I found NC in late 2004, CG since 2-2005, started going grey in late 2005.
--My hair is 3B with some 3A, texture-medium/fine, porosity-normal except for the ends which are porous, elasticity-normal.
--My long time favorite products are Suave & VO5 conditioners, LA Looks Sport Gel, oils, honey, vinegar.
--My CG and grey hair progress -- http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlta...-progress.html

Thanks iroc! I've been stalled the last couple weeks but we just have to keep at it!

--I'm located in Western PA.
--I found NC in late 2004, CG since 2-2005, started going grey in late 2005.
--My hair is 3B with some 3A, texture-medium/fine, porosity-normal except for the ends which are porous, elasticity-normal.
--My long time favorite products are Suave & VO5 conditioners, LA Looks Sport Gel, oils, honey, vinegar.
--My CG and grey hair progress -- http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlta...-progress.html

Fitness Challenge update. 8 weeks in - halfway through already! Having so much fun and no major injuries or public embarrassment so far. Down 10.2 lbs and have upped my workouts from my usual 2-3 hours of mostly low intensity to 8-9 hours of low, medium, and high intensity. I've been in the Top 3 (out of 25+ people) every week but one when I dropped to 7th. Look out 2nd half!

--I'm located in Western PA.
--I found NC in late 2004, CG since 2-2005, started going grey in late 2005.
--My hair is 3B with some 3A, texture-medium/fine, porosity-normal except for the ends which are porous, elasticity-normal.
--My long time favorite products are Suave & VO5 conditioners, LA Looks Sport Gel, oils, honey, vinegar.
--My CG and grey hair progress -- http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlta...-progress.html